FR2740294A1 - BROCOLIS CAULKING SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for picking broccoli cabbages characterized in that it comprises at least one picking track (1, 2) which is constituted by: means (12, 11; 21, 22) for centering and straightening the broccoli plants; guides (23, 24; 13, 14) accompanying the plants; means (15, 25) for severing the stems below the leaves and cabbages at a constant height relative to the ground, the assembly being mounted on a frame provided with means (29) for maintaining a constant ground clearance with respect to the isolating means.

Description

BROCOLIS CAULKING SYSTEM

  The present invention relates to a system for

picking broccoli.

  The problem with growing broccoli is that the harvesting of the latter has not been able to be automated without damaging the very fragile cabbages, which makes them unfit for consumption or canning. In addition, the cutting of the stems, because initially the broccoli stem can bend parallel to the ground and thus shift relative to the planting row, may be done in inappropriate places. The object of the invention is

to overcome these disadvantages.

  This object is achieved by the fact that the broccoli picking system comprises at least one picking line which consists of: means for centering and straightening the broccoli plants; guides accompanying plants; means for severing the stems below the leaves and cabbages at a constant height relative to the ground, the assembly being mounted on a frame provided with means for preserving a ground clearance

  constant with respect to the severing means.

  According to another particular feature, the system comprises, above the means of severing, means for breaking the sheets and ventilation means for removing the sheets before conveying by a conveyor belt. According to another feature, the centering and straightening means consist of two rotating disks rotating in the direction of swallowing by

  compared to the flared entrance of the accompanying means.

  According to another feature, the discs are inclined so that the axis of symmetry coincides with

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  the axis of rotation of the floppy discs is on the one hand inclined towards the front and on the other hand towards the axis of

symmetry of the way of gathering.

  According to another feature, the angle of inclination according to the two directions is adjustable in a range of

0 to 30 degrees.

  According to another feature, the support means consist of two rails converging from the axis of symmetry of the discs towards the path which is extended by a parallel section above which a rotating belt is driven.

  in the opposite direction of clockwise.

  According to another feature, the cutting means consist of a cutting disk driven in the swallowing direction and disposed on each

picking path.

  According to another feature, the means for breaking the sheets consist of a guide disposed parallel to the track above the severing means and a set of pressure strips arranged at the height of the guide are rotated.

  in the opposite direction to the direction of the sectioning wheel.

  According to another feature, the strips are stretched between a first and a second roller whose first roller placed at the front is adjustable in position and a third pinch said presser disposed between the first and second roller and close to the guide is mounted on elastic means for defining a path portion parallel to the path and a converging path portion

  between the first roller and the third roller.

  According to another feature of the ventilation means are arranged under and on the side of the guideway before the output of the means of rupture of the leaves to eliminate the leaves before the arrival of

broccoli on the conveyor belt.

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  According to another feature at the exit of the conveyor belt the system comprises a second stripping device and a conveyor belt to a storage hopper. According to another feature, the collection system comprises a plurality of identical picking lines. According to another feature, the system for adjusting the ground clearance consists of a wheel or a gauge drum permanently resting on the ground and means acting on the support frame of the various means of the system for varying the ground clearance

disc of disconnection.

  According to another particularity, these means are

Hydraulic.

  According to another feature, these means are mechanical. According to another feature, the various disks, mats and moving elements of the system mounted on the chassis are actuated by a fluid supplied by a pump driven by the PTO of the tractor or the like. Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly on reading the

  description hereinafter made with reference to the drawings

  appended in which: Figure 1 shows a top view of the schematic diagram of the collection system; FIG. 2 represents a schematic side view

of the collection system.

  The harvesting system according to the invention comprises a non-visible chassis mounted on means of levitation relative to the ground and, in a variant of the invention, articulated with respect to an axis (30). This chassis also comprises a wheel or gauge drum (29), itself hinged relative to the frame for

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  constantly come in contact with the unevenness of the ground. The movements of this gauge wheel are detected by mechanical or hydraulic means or other to act on the means of lift of the frame so as to maintain a constant guard between the cutting devices of the plants and the ground. The frame supports at least one crop row processing channel, but variants of the invention may include a plurality of paths each processing a crop row. Thus in Figure 1 we can see a first path (1) and a second path (2). According to the axis of symmetry of each channel is disposed in the direction of advance of the machine a first pair of discs (11, 12, 21, 22) rotated in a direction of swallowing towards the plate of the machine and towards the guide rails (13, 14), one of the ends of which are arranged above these disks. For the sake of simplification, the centering disk (11, 12, 21, 22) is made of thin cone trunks (2 to 15 cm for example) and whose axis of rotation is inclined so that the outer surface of the truncated cone is tangent near each path of a plane

  vertical parallel to the axis of symmetry of each channel.

  Thus the lower circumference (220, 210, 110, 120) of each truncated cone will be plumb with close to the axis of symmetry of the upper circumference (221, 211, 111, 121). These rails (13, 14, 23, 24) comprise a flared portion at the inlet (231, 241, 131, 141), this flared portion starting at the axis of symmetry joining the two axes of the discs. The discs are mounted so that their axis of rotation is inclined firstly towards the front and secondly towards the axis of symmetry of each channel (1, 2). The angle of inclination of the axes of rotation is adjustable by means known to those skilled in the art in a range between 0 and 30 degrees. These disks by their rotation and their inclinations make it possible to straighten

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  broccoli plants and refocus them, when those

  ci are offset with respect to the rank of culture.

  The guides (13, 14, 23, 24) then complete this centering and straightening of the plant and then by tightening these guides towards the axis of symmetry of the path bring the plant near the discs of sectioning each way ( 15, 25) which are driven in the swallowing direction. These sectioning discs completely cut the path of each plant and are below a device that breaks and breaks the leaves of broccoli plants. This device consists of a support rail (26, 16) starting with a flared portion (261, 161) above the sectioning disc and opposite this rail at a distance a plurality of drive bands

  (27, 17) stretched between two rollers (271, 171, 272, 172).

  The device also comprises a third roller (273, 173) disposed between the two rollers and placed close to the rectilinear portion of the guide rail (26, 16). This intermediate roller (273, respectively 173) is mounted on elastic means (274, 174) so as to exert with the belt a pressure on the plant by clamping it against the respective guide rail (26, 16). One of the rollers (171, 172, 271, 272) is rotated so as to drive the strips in the direction of swallowing, that is to say in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the cutting discs. The rotation of the band (27, 17) and the pressure thereof on the plants exerts a tearing force which causes the leaves surrounding the cabbages to rupture. A ventilation device (28, 18) consisting of blowing nozzles, located after the cutting disc (15, 25) and below and on the side of the sheets rupture guides (26, 16), allows the evacuation of leaves before the plant is poured onto a conveyor belt (3). FIG. 2 shows a variant embodiment in which the

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  machine has on top of each accompanying guide (23, 24; 13, 14) a treadmill (31) driven in the swallowing direction on its underside which in the embodiment shown is counterclockwise . This treadmill (3) is arranged at a height relative to the guides (23, 24) sufficient between the guide (23, 13) and the carpet to maintain the cabbages and facilitate their conveying to the cutting disc (25). At the end of the conveyor belt (3) arranged in the driving direction is also a second stripping system to ensure the complete completion of the stripping of broccoli before pouring broccoli on a conveyor belt to a storage hopper. The system according to the invention therefore makes it possible to automatically ensure the harvest of broccoli by ensuring both the refocusing and straightening of the plants without damaging the cabbage that is above. The device also allows cutting at a constant height with respect to the plant and breaking leaves that surround the cabbage without damaging the cabbage itself which is particularly fragile. The direction of swallowing is defined as the direction of rotation in which the plant is driven in

direction of the conveyor belt (3).

  The disks, mats, fans and other moving parts of the system are operated either by a fluid

  supplied by one or more pumps driven by the tractor's power take-off or by electric motors or any other equivalent means. Other modifications within the skill of the art are also within the spirit of the invention.

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Claims (16)

  1. A system for gathering broccoli sprouts characterized in that it comprises at least one collection path (1, 2) which consists of: means (12, 11; 21, 22) for centering and straightening the broccoli plants ; guides (23, 24; 13, 14) for accompanying plants; means (15, 25) for severing the stems below the leaves and cabbages at a constant height relative to the ground, the assembly being mounted on a frame provided with means (29) for preserving a ground clearance   constant with respect to the severing means.   2. Broccoli sprouts collection system according to claim 1, characterized in that the system comprises above means (15, 25) for severing the sheet breaking means and means (27, 17) of ventilation (18). , 28) to remove the front leaves   conveying by a conveyor belt (3).   3. Broccoli sprouts collection system according to claim 1, characterized in that the centering and straightening means consist of two rotating discs (21, 22; 11, 12) rotating in the direction of swallowing with respect to the broccoli. flared entrance means (23, 24, 13, 14).   4. A broccoli sprouts collection system according to claim 3, characterized in that the discs (21, 22; 11, 12) are arranged inclined so that the axis of symmetry coincides with the axis of rotation of the floppy discs. on the one hand inclined forward and on the other   part towards the axis of symmetry of the path of collection.   5. The broccoli cabbage harvesting system according to claim 4, characterized in that the angle   tilt in both directions is adjustable in a range of 0 to 30 degrees. 8 2740294   6. Cabbage collection system according to claim 1, characterized in that the accompanying means consist of two rails (23, 24; 13, 14) converging from the axis of symmetry of the discs to the path which is extended by a parallel section above which a rotating belt (31) is   driven in the direction of swallowing.   7. Cabbage harvesting system according to one of the   Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the means for   sectioning are constituted by a cutting disc (15, 25) driven in the swallowing direction and disposed on each path (1, 2) of picking.   8. Cabbage harvesting system according to one of   Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the means for   rupture of the sheets consist of a guide (26, 16) arranged parallel to the track above the severing means and a set of pressure strips (17, 27) driven in rotation in the opposite direction of the direction of   the sectioning wheel at the height of the guide.   9. system for collecting cabbages according to claim 8, characterized in that the strips (17, 22) are stretched between a first (271, 171) and a second (272, 172) rollers whose first roller placed at the before is adjustable in position and a third roller (273, 173) said presser disposed near the guide between the first and second roller, and mounted on elastic means (274, 174) to define a path portion parallel to the track and a converging path part   between the first roller and the third roller.   10. Cabbage collection system according to claim 9, characterized in that ventilation means (28, 18) are arranged under and on the side of the guideway before the exit of the sheet breaking means to eliminate the leaves. Before the arrival   cabbages on the conveyor belt (3). 9 2740294   11. Broccoli sprouts picking system according to   one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that   Conveyor conveyor exit The system comprises a second stripping device and a conveyor belt to a storage hopper. 12. A broccoli cabbage harvesting system according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the collection system comprises a plurality of channels (1, 2) identical picking.   13. A broccoli sprout picking system according to claim 12, characterized in that the ground clearance adjusting system consists of a wheel or a gauge drum (29) in permanent support on the ground and means acting on the support frame of the various means of the system to vary the guard ground of the disc of disconnection.   14. Broccoli sprouts collection system according to claim 13, characterized in that these means are hydraulic.   The broccoli cabbage harvesting system according to claim 13, characterized in that said means are mechanical.   16. Broccoli cabbage picking system according to   one of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that the   various discs, mats and moving parts of the frame-mounted system are actuated by a fluid supplied by a pump driven by the tractor power take-off.